Page 9 of Married in Vengeance

Ram grunted. “Thanks for the last-minute philosophy lesson but I have a wedding reception to get to.”

“Why did you marry Aadhya?” The question came out of left field.

Shoulders stiffening, Ram shot his cuffs. “Because I wanted to.”

Agastya didn’t say anything. After a beat of silence, Ram asked, “Why did you marry Veda?”

Agastya’s hand clenched on Ram’s shoulder. After a second loaded with the weight of past mistakes and painful memories, he said, “Because I wanted to.”

Ram scoffed, shaking his head and pulling out of Agastya’s grasp.

“And because I was a dick,” Agastya continued. “Are you being a dick, Gadde?”

Ram flexed his right hand, fingers clenching and unclenching. “Is there a point to this?”

“Aadhya is like my sister.”

“And Vedaismy sister. Not just like my sister.” Ram’s fury roared. “It didn’t stop you from fucking up, did it?”

“Is that what you’re doing? Fucking up?” Agastya gazed at him steadily.

Ram shook his head, running a hand through his hair and tugging. He needed to keep his mouth shut and his head in the game. This waffling around wasn’t going to work. He needed his conscience to shut up so he could focus on the mental chess game he had in play against Aadhya.

“I just want to help,” Agastya said quietly. “I want you to be happy.”

Happy…There were many things lined up for Ram’s present and future. Happiness was not one of them.

“Keep my sister happy, Kodela,” Ram said gruffly. “And keep your meddling nose the fuck out of my life.”

The bedroom door opened again and Harsh stuck his head in. “Are the two of you having a midlife crisis or something in here?”

“They’re probably doing secret shots,” Virat drawled from somewhere behind Harsh.

Harsh rolled his eyes. “Please! Know your audience! These two wouldn’t do a shot even if it poured itself down their throats.”

“Listen Bridegroom, if we don’t leave soon, Aadhya’s family will send a search party looking for us.” Virat popped his head around Harsh’s, his gaze lasering into Ram’s.

Too late, buddy, that look told him. Too fucking late.

Ram shot Virat a mental middle finger. He didn’t need Virat’s ‘told you so’s’ in his head. He had his own mental critic screaming at the top of his lungs.

Agastya shot Ram one last look before they all left the room. “Whatever you’re planning,” Agastya murmured. “Don’t.”

“Just keep walking, Kodela. It’s my wedding reception and I don’t intend to be late for it.”

“We’re already late,” Virat said, leading the way. “The families are going to be pissed.”

“Not a problem.” Agastya smacked his hands together. “That’s easy enough to deal with.”

“How?” Ram glared at him as they walked out onto the foyer of Gadde mansion.

“We’ll just blame it on Harsh.”

Six

AADHYA

Aadhya adjustedthe folds of her ghaghra, her dupatta slipping off one shoulder as she did so. Grabbing it, she pulled it back up so she could drape it properly again.

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